Weedless fishhook



July 4, 195o F, H BEMIS E 2,513,397

WEEDLESS FISHHOOK Filed July 27, 1944 Patented July 4, 1950 yUNIT-151D STATES PATENT-ermee WEEDLEss FIsHHooK Fay H. Bemis, st. Paurlvrinn. y Application Jiy 27, 1944, serial No. 546,765 l 4 Claims.

My invention relates to an improvement in weedless shhooks and resides more particularly in a barbed hook which will not catch in weeds and other under-water plants or the like.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a barbed sh hook of any desired shape having a spring wire secured to the eye end of the hook. This' spring wire is provided with a looped end which resiliently engages the barb of the hook. The spring wire serves not only to preventtlrley `point of the hook from catching in weeds or,other under-water growth but also holds the bait locked upon the hook. The spring wire yalsoprotects the point of the hook so that it can not cause serious accidents duringhandling when trolling or casting.

A feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the resilient wire may be small in cross section and need not add materially to the bulkor weight of the hook. At the same time this wire -iorms a positive lock having an action somewhat similar to the action of a safety pin when the wire `is engaged upon the barb of the hook.

A feature of. the present invention lies in the shape of the resilient wire and the manner in which this wire may guard the point of the hook from'catching in weeds or the like as it is pulled through thewater. The wire preferably extends at an acute angle to the shank of the hook from the eye end thereof and extends substantially `in the plane of the hook end. The wire arm preferably extends beyond the width of the curved end of the hook so as to guideweeds or other under-water growth outwardly beyond the position of the hook.

lA feature of the present invention resides in the fact thatjthe spring wire may be readily disengaged from the/barb of the hook as the bait is taken by a sh, this arm being pressed inwardly in a manner to release the looped end thereof from engagement with the hook barbi.

These and other objects and novel features of my invention will be more clearly andfully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of my specica- Figure 1 is an elevational view of my hook showing thespring wire in engagement with the hook barb and showing in dotted outline a released position of the spring wire.

1 Figure 2 is a plan view ofthe hook showing the looped .end of the spring wire.

Figure 3 is; a View similar to Figure 2 showing the spring arm arrangement for use with 4an offset styleof hook. A

Figure 4 is asidey elevational view of a slightly different form of hook.

Figure A5 is a plan View .of the construction illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a sectional View on the line 6-6 of Figure 4. l l

The hook A, illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, is of` `conventional shape and is of usual design. The hookA includes an eye I0 at one end of a relatively straight shank I I.k The shank II merges into a rounded hook end I2 which terminates in a pointedend portion I3 extending substantially parallel to the shank I I of the hook. The point orvpointed end I3 is provided with a. rearwardly extending barb I4 of any usual shape, this barb projecting toward the rounded end I2 of the hook.

A spring resilient wire arm I5 is secured at I6 to the shank of thehook adjacent theeye I0. This spring wire I5 extends at an acute angle with respect to the shank I I in substantiallyI the plane of the rounded end I2 of the hook. In preferred form the arm I5 `extends outwardly from the shank II a distance equal to or greater than the distance between the hook end I3 and theV shank I I. As a result as the hook passes through the water and the spring arm I5 engages against a weed or other under-water growth it will guide this weed outwardly beyond `the position of the hook I3.

A kink or bend II is provided in'the wire I5 at a point spaced from the shank I I a distance equal to or greater than the distance between the pointed hook end I3 and-the shank I I. From the point I1 the wire arm is off-set to slope slightly toward the point I3. A loop I9. formed of a single convolution of wire or of. a series of convolutions is provided on the end of the wire arm I5, this loop I9 being engageable with the barb I4. The spring,

arm I5 is bent in such a way that when the loop I9 isengaged with the barb I4, the arm lI5 ls under spring tension. Thus it is necessary to 'ex the arm I5 to some extent in .order to engage the loop I9 upon the hook barb I4. When en-f.

as illustrated if it is.so desired. rThe specific shape of the hook, however, and the weighting thereof is not of great importance in the presentv invention so long as the spring arm I5 is properly adapted to engage the barb of the hook. p f

In the operation of my Weedless hook the bait is placed upon the hook in the usual manner and the resilient arm` I5, .is -exed so that the loop I9 resiliently engagesthe barb I4. In order toen.

gage the loop..I9 upon the barb I4 it is usually necessary to flex the arm I5 toward the rounded end I2 of the hook,` moving the loop I9 longitudinally of the hook. l.

` As the hook ymoves through the waterk vthe.` spring arm Lmaymengage lagainst a weed or other4 under-watergrowth vvand the shape of the .armis l such as to guide the point ofthe hook away from such a growth. However, in the event a fish takes the bait upon the hook, the mouth of the fish closes over the light spring wire, pressing the same inwardly and dis'engaging the loop 4I9 from the barb so that the barb of the hook may be useful in preventing the escape of the sh from the hook.

In Figure 3 of the drawings I disclose a .con-

` the eye 21 .to the .shank 22. The resilient arm 25 isv provided with a loop end 21 which resiliently engages the barb, ofthe hook. The construction illustrated is very similar to that illustrated in Figures land 2, with the exception that in Figure 3'of the drawings Vthe loop end 23 is ofi-set at an angle .to the longitudinally extending shank 22. Such an ofi-set of the'ho'ok end is somewhat common and the spring arm is shaped to fit such a construction. n

In Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings I disclose a slightly diiferent form of hook C. This hook C is similar to the .constructions previously illustrated with the exception that a lure body encircles a portion or all of the shank ofthe hook. The hook .C is provided with `a loop yend 29 connected ,to one end of a relatively straight shank 3,0. Y. The shank 30 is provided with a rounded closed end 3l which terminates in a sharppointed hook end '32. A :barb `33 projects toward the rounded end 3l of the shank and acts to support the wire arm or guide. Y

A body forming material such as a flat strip 34 of .properly decorated material is folded upon itself at its forward end 36. 'The space within the strip 34 or between the lsides `of the fold thus formed may be lled with any suitable material to form ja lure body. For example, the strip 34 may be of shiny metal and may enclose a wax or plastic .body 38 .which embeds the hook shank A resilient .arm 35 is secured vat its forward end V36 to the lure body and extends outwardly at an acute .angle with the shank 3B to a point spaced from `the shank 3D a distance greater than the distance between the hook point 32 and theshank 30. Theresilient wire .35 is then bent at 31 to provide an off-set portion 39 terminating ina looped end 40. l The looped end 4D may comprise one or more kconvolutions of wire or may comprise any type of closed loop.

The arm 35 is so designed'that the bend 31 thereof and .the` portion of the wire arm between the bend `31 and .the anchor 35 guide weeds or other undergrowth away from the point of the hook. The loop 40 engages the barb 33 with a resilient action, thus locking the :guard to the hook point.'Y However, the resilient arm `35 `maybe readily disengaged from 'the hook barb by the inward pressure of the jaws of a fish taking the bait or attempting to swallow'the'lure.

It will be seen that the point of the hook is at all times protected not only during the travel of the hook through the Water, but also during casting and handling of the hook. Serious accidents `sometimes occurring through careless use 4 of an unprotected hook point may be avoided with my construction. The resilient engagement between the spring loop and the hook barb serves not only to hold .the sprngarm in proper rela\ tion to the hook, but also toprovide Ia detachable engagement between these elements. It will be noted that with this construction a finer wire may be employed as a guide due to the fact that the free end of the wire guard is held in proper position by the barb of the hook.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described the principles of construction and operation of my weedless sh hook, and while I have endeavored to set forth the best embodiments thereof, I desire to have it understood that obvious Vchanges may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

l. A iish hook comprising a shank, a hook end at one end of said shank, a barbed point on said hook end, a spring lwire secured tothe other end of said shank and a spirally wound looped end on said spring wire resiliently encircling the barb of` said hook.

2. A sh hook comprising a shank, a rounded hook end on one end of said shank,a pointed end on said hook end, a barb spaced from said pointed end, a spring wire secured to vsaid shank adjacent the other end thereof, aspirallywound loop on the free end of said wire, said loop positioned to resiliently encircle the barb of the hook.

3. A weedless 'nook comprising an `elongated shank having a curved lendthe plane of which is angularly disposed with respect to said shank, a point on said hook end, a barb adjacent said point, a spring wire arm resiliently secured to the other end of said shank, and a spirally wound loop end on said resilient arm resiliently encircling said barb.

l. A sh hook comprising la shank, a hook end at one end of said shank, a barbed point on said hook end, a spring'wire secured to the other end of said shank, a spiraly wound ,looped end Qn said spring wire resiliently encircling the barb of the hook, a lure body .encircling a portion of the shank of the hook, said lure body including an elongated strip bent double at its forward end to form a forward rounded body end, the ends on said strip being bent into parallel relation, said hook shank extending .through the forward rounded end of said strip, and filling material between the ends of said Ystrip embedding the hook. or shank of said hook.

FAY H. BEMIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'IENTS Date 

